My ¥9,400 error on HK Air

When you have flown almost 100 segments in the last 3 years you are bound to mess one booking up. This happened to be my one true goof up so far.

We checked into HK Air this morning from Naha to Hong Kong and was slapped with a $40 name change fee right at the check in desk. I was not alone as the SOFA couple next to me was red in the face arguing the exact same fee! So I didn’t bother and paid $40 to add a middle name to our reservation. Luckily my parents never bother to give me a middle name, so I was spared, but my wife and kid on the other hand got charged!

The error happened when I booked the flight, the first name box asks for both the first and middle name (see above). So be warned that you might have a bad start to your trip because you booked without reading the fine print. I just booked a JAL flight VIA British Airways with a very similar misleading website. The BA site doesn’t ask for your Middle Name either, but the call center says they only need first and last. Lets see if I get screwed again!